Having had an excruciating trip from Paris to the Alps – heavy traffic, rain and then snow – we decided we’d do the return journey in two parts stopping on the outskirts of Macon. We stayed at the delightful Hostellerie La Sarrasine in Replonges a traditional Bourgogne structure with great fireplaces, roaring fires and typical Bourgogne dinner fare – L’escargot drenched in garlic butter followed by a most succulent Poulet-Bresse – perfect.

On the front lawn, taking centre stage they had fenced a gazebo and moved their two sheep in for the winter.

The next morning we were up early. You can’t go to Bourgogne and not bring some wine home – well I can’t. So we meandered through the Macon and Beaujolais countryside doing a bit of wine tasting in the area and collected a few of cases of wine for the cellar back home in Paris. Well generally they don’t stay in the cellar very long but it’s a good temperature with suitable storage.